Car coupler



Feb. 19, 1929.

R. J. WITTMER CAR COUPLER Filed April 2l, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENToR F0555 J. /WME/ ATT NEY R. J. WITTMER CAR COUPLER Feb. 19, 1929.

Filed April 21, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR /PassfLL J /rmff/ Arogfv Feb. 19, 1929.

:1,702,372 R. J. WITTMER CAR COUPLER Filed April 21, 1925 3 sheets-sheet 5 INVENTOR )Pz/:SELL J. Mfr/Yi( ATToEY ift is the standard D-coupler.

Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.`

RUSSELL J. WITTMEB, OF

AND STEEL CASTINGS COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CAB COUPLER.

Application led April 21, 1925. Serial No. 24,720.

Fig. 1 is a vertical, longitudinal section of the coupler embodying my invention, with the parts in ioclied position; Fig. 2 is a section similar to Fig. l, but with the lifter raised to free the auxiliary anti-creep provisions; Fig. 3 is also a section similar to Fig. l, but with the parts in lock-set position; Fig. it is a detail of the lifter, and Figs. 5 and 6 details of the anti-creep member; Fig. 7 shows a modified form of lifter, and Figs. S and 9 the form of anti-creep member used in connection therewith.

My invention relates to car couplers, and particularly to improvements applicable to In couplers of the standard Dtype difficulty is had with the lockte-lock or anticreep provisions, especially service on roads with uneven road-beds, or in so which the draft gear attachments permit vi- ;:o my invention bration of the coupler in a vertical direction. With my improved mechanism, however, even under the severest conditions of service, means are provided for insuring that the lf3 locking action of the anti-creep means shall be My invention also comprises the positive.

shall hereinafter describe features which I and claim.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown applied to a standard D-coupier comprised of the coupler head A, the knuckle B, the lock C, opener D, and lifter E. The lifter E is of the same general external form as that required in the standard D-coupier, with the usual anti-creep shoulder 2 at its lower end, which underlies and engages the transverse rib 3 on the coupler head when in locked position. The upper end of the lifter, however, has a vertically extending recess i in which the anti-creep member' 5 operates. At the upper end of the lifter is an elongated transversely extending slot 6, and near the lower end of the slot 4 is a hole for a rivet 7 by which the upward and downward movement of the anti-creep member 5 in the slot 4.- is limited. The rivet 7 passes through the inclined slot 8 in the anti-creep member 5 and thus limits not only the downward and upward movements of the anticreep member' 5, but also guides it in its fore and aft movements. .The upper end of the anti-creep member' 5 is provided with a round hole 9 through which, and likewise through the elongated slot 6, the lower end of the un coupling mechanism 10 passes.

where the couplers are used for fastz mal anti-creep rib 3.

When the parts are in locked position as shown in Fig. l, the weight of the uncoupling mechanism l or of the antifcreep member 5, or both, forces down the anti-creep member to the lower end of the slot 6 and thus causes the shoulder 11 on the anti-creep member 5 to project forwardly of the front face of the lifter so as to underlie the top wall of the cou pler head forward of the lock lift hole 12. Any movement of the coupler which would be sutliciently violent to throw the anti-creep shoulder 2 on the lifter E out of engagement with the anti-creep rib 3 in the coupler head merely brings the shoulder 11 of the anticreep member 5 into contact with the upper wall of the coupler head and thus prevents the lifter E from moving upwardly far enough to become disengaged from its nor- In unlocking the coupler, the first upward movement of the uncoupling mechanism l() raises the anti-creep member 5 relative to the lifter E to the extent provided by the elongated slot 6 in the head of the lifter, andthis retracts the lower end of the anti-creep mem-` ber from beneath the top wall ofthe coupler head into the recess i` in the lifter. Then, as the uncoupling mechanism comes into bearing against the upper end of the elongated slot 6 in the lifter E, it will lift the lifter and operate the lock D, with theresult that the force required for the lodk lifting and knuckle throwing operations is preferably transmitted directly from the operating mechanism 10 to the lifter, and not through the anti-creep member 5.

Vhen the lock is in its lock-set position shown in Fig. 3 and the lifting force has been released from the uncoupling mechanism 10, the anti-creep member will Yslide back to the same position relativeto the lifter that it occupies inits normal locked position, ex cept that the anti-creep member will then be outside of the coupler head, as is shownin Fig. 3. When the lock is again dropped down from locleset position into locked position shown in Fig. 1, it is, of course, necessary that the anticreep member 5 be again brought inside the lifter so that it may pass down with the lifter through the top lock lift hole 12 in the coupler head. To effect this the lower front face l'of the anti-creep member is inclined. As the lifter drops down through the top lock lift hole 12, this inclined surface 13 on the anti-creep member 5 comes CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL MALLEABLE in Contact with the upper edge of the top lock lift hole and causes the anti-creep member 5 to slide back into the recess Il of the lifter E, so that the entire lifter E is free to drop back into locked position.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9 I have shown a modified form of my invention in which the upper' end of the lifter is split at 14, so that the two sides 15 and 16 can be sprung apart and the anti-creep member may beinserted between them. The melnber ihas a collar-17 `around its un'couplingrod hole and theslots 6 in the sides of the lifter are made sufiiciently Wide to accommodate/the collar 17. After the anti-creep member 5 has been inserted in the lifter, thesides 15 and 16 are held together by a small rivet 18 through the upper ends of the sides. In this form oflifterthe lifting force exerted by theuncoupling` mechanism isall talren up througlr the anti-creep member 5 and is transmitted by the collar 17 to the lifter.

l/Vhile I have shown my improved anticreep member and means used in conjunction with the usual' anticreep feature of the standard D-coupler, it is `to be understood that lit is suiciently positive to be used alone Without the present standard *D-coupler feature.

The terms and expressions herein employed are used as terms of description and notof limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of eX- cluding. any mechanical equivalents of the feature shown and described, or portions thereof, it being recognized that various structural modifications are possible Within the scope ofthe invention claimed! WIhat I claim is:

1. In a car coupler of the standard D-type, a lock having a Tslot therein; a lifter for 'the lock having a trunnioned engagement With the lock inthe T-slot thereof; an anti creep member seated *in a vertically extending recess in the head of the lifter; the lifter and anti-creep member having transversely extending apertures for connection with uncoupling mechanism; the lifter and anticreep member having a slot and projection engagement permitting, when the lifter is in locked position, a portion of said anti-creep member to project outwardly of the lifter to underlie a portion ofthe top Wall of the couplenhead; said connection with the uncoupling mechanism comprising means for retracting the anti-creep member ont `of anticreep position Withoutdisturbing the lifter.

2.- In a car coupler of the standard D-type, a lock having a T-slot therein; a lifter for the lock having a trunnioned engagement with the lock in the Tsl.ot thereof; an anti-creep member seated in a vertical recess in the head of the lifter; the lifter and anti-creep niember 'having `transversely extending apertures for connection With uncoupling mechanism; the lifter and anti-creep member liuriir a slot and projection engagement permitting, when the lifter is in loclred position, a portion of said anti-creep member to project outwardly ot the lifter to imderiie a portion of the top Wall of the coupler head; and means r act' the anti-crimp member Within the lifter to permit the loch to be lifted.

3, In a cui' coupler of the standard tit-type, a lock having a 'islot therein; a iiiter for the loch lming a trunnioned engagement with the locl in the T-slot thereoii; an auti` creep member seated in :i vertical r eus iu the head of u Y p the lifter :cud nuricreep member having traiisversely extending apertures for 'Minoc-tion with uncoupling mechanism; the Y 'und :urti-creep member having a slot and projection engagement permitting, when the lifter is in locked position, a portion of said anti-c eep member to pro ject outwardly of the lifter 'to underlie a portion of the top Wall of the coupier head; means for retractin the anti-creep member Within the lifter ipermit the lool; to be li ed; and guiding means on the anti-creep member to cause its retraction into the lifter to permit the lifter when in elevated position to drop te loclred position.

In a car coupler of the stond a toch having a 'ir-slot therein, a l' loci: having a trunnioned enga ard .i3-type, r for the Y `rent "with ,i-cieep the loch inthe "l'slot thereof in z member seated in a vertically eA recess in the head of the lifter; th r and anti-creep member having tendine' apertures-sz for cornici-iitin une un coupling mcchai'nsin, the aperture in the lifter being of greater vertical er: t than the aperture in the anti-creep l i connection comprising secuencial meaiis for firstretracting the anti-creep member und then raisingl the lifter to lift the loch.

In a cer coupler of the pe, u locl having a 'lf-slot there a lifter for the loclt having a trunnioned engi'igement with `the lcclt in the T-slot thereof; an ai -creep member seated in a vertically extending recess in the head oft-he lifter; the lifter and anti-creep member having tra' r' b tending apertures for connection with uncoupling mechanism; the lifter and antiicreep member having a slotnnd project-ion engagement permitting, when the lifter is in locked position, a portion of said anti-creep member to project outwardly of the lifter to underlie a portion of the top ivall of the coupler head: said connection with the uncoupling mechanism having a direct engagement with the antiecreep member to move it out of anti-creep position and with the lifter to lift the lock.

RUSSELL J". IYITTMER.

Iii) 

